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Phew! Yes, you can
exhale now, anti-climax or not! In one fell swoop, the former Governor
of Lagos State, ASIWAJU Bola Tinubu, spoilt months of ‘sweet’ future
gist which would have thrived, whether true or not, on how or why the
party did not give the Governor of Lagos State a second term ticket.
“… by the power conferred on me by the ACN, and following
consultations with the leaders and members of the party, I wish, on
their behalf, to announce the final endorsement for re-election of
Governor Babatunde Fashola”, said the Leader of the Action Congress of
Nigeria [ACN], Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Date was Wednesday January 5, 2011;
Venue was the Lagos State Party secretariat in Ikeja; in attendance
were leaders of the party, Federal and State Legislators of the ACN,
Local Government officials, and members of the State Executive Council,
women and youths. The jubilation and applause was spontaneous; fans of
FASH, who have been waiting to exhale, can finally do so! Imagine
spoiling a serious gist that’s guaranteed to sell any paper,

Just like that! The
story made for good reading anytime. Don’t forget: this is a country
that thrives on gist. And we love our gist to come with a little dose
of the truth/reality, no matter how tiny [less than 1% suffices]. This
means that once you know someone who lives in the same house with
FASH’s neighbour’s cousin’s in-law’s driver, everyone will believe you!
Add to that, a semblance of signs that you are ‘doing well’, [everyone
will assume it’s obviously as a result of your seeming connection],
then you will always be summoned by people to come and share the latest
gist on the alleged face-off. Of course, to maintain your relevance,
you shall not give the impression that you are nobody and do not know
gist emanating from FASH’s inner caucus, will you? So, you let rip, any
which way! “Do you know ASIWAJU stormed out of a meeting where
prominent Elders of the State gathered to ‘beg’ him to please let FASH
go for a second term?” While the neighbours are still digesting that,
you go for the kill, adding for maximum effect: “Dem say e dey jealous
say the Governor Don too work, sotay e wan spoil ASIWAJU record, with
all this award wey e dey carry up and down”.

Guess what? We all
lapped it up; we were always looking out for those little tell-tale
signs confirming that all was indeed not well. The two were actors in a
movie they could not remember agreeing to participate in. Damned if
they did; Damned if they didn’t! ASIWAJU does not attend FASH’s
birthday? Ah-Haa, the rift is real! They turn up hand-in-hand,
together, in the same fabric, sewn in the same style, or any event? We
wrinkle our noses at their attempt to hoodwink us into thinking they
are cool together! Or FASH must have laid ambush for the man: “as soon
as ASIWAJU came down from his car, FASH jumped and muscled in to start
walking beside him; you know ASIWAJU now, he didn’t want to embarrass
the boy by walking away”. They appeared together with the Chairman of
their party and said all was well? Who listened? Who cared? Of what
value was that denial? The gist was not in there not being a fight; the
gist was in there being a fight! And the gist was sweeter if only in
the purported fight continuing until about this time when FASH is
finally not given the party ticket.

We would never have
stopped talking about how the ACN shot itself in the foot by
‘wickeding’ FASH. “No mind those AC people; u no say FASH no be
politician”. Was it conceivable that the party would have denied the
Governor the ticket? Truly speaking? This, a Governor adjudged by
everyone, including Governors of rival parties, as the best performing
Governor in the country? In fact, some had wanted the Governor to
decamp to another party because he is the brand that the people will
vote for. In other words, any party he joined would be sure to win.

Many wondered why,
in the face of seeming disrespect from a reportedly unappreciative
party hierarchy, the Governor opted to remain within. Now, you know!
You may say the loss of Ikorodu, if only for a few months, brought
about a change of heart, but then is anyone admitting that any heart
changed, at all? Whatever! What is not in doubt is that FASH has got
his swagger back. But is the ACN’s endorsement too little, too late?